Around the NFL: Week 6 Recap

Week 6 Takeaways and Implications for Week 7

Concise game recaps and implications from Week 6 that provide you with information that matters to attack Week 6. Head over to our game matchup dashboards to understand each team’s strengths and weaknesses as teams as every team continues to reveal who they are in 2023. Once you digest takeaways from the Week 6, head over to our dashboard section to break down the Week 7 board.

Chiefs / Broncos

• KC outgained the Broncos by a margin of 389-197 but only led by a score late in this one thanks to a 1-5 conversion rate in the RZ and a 4-13 conversion rate on 3rd down. KC entered halftime with a 13-0 lead, but managed just two field goals, and two punts on 4 second half drives.
• Denver was brutal on the offensive side of the ball on the road – they amassed just 94 yards on 27 plays in the first half and did not enter KC’s red zone until the 6:16 mark of the 4th quarter, which was their only RZ trip. Russ finished 13-22 for 95 yards (3.2 YPA) with 2 INT’s and 4 sacks.
• Denver’s defense continues to be extremely bad, ranking 31st in defensive efficiency and 32nd in EPA/play as rumors of a complete firesale on the defensive side of the ball continue to heat up. Denver is 0-5-1 ATS and 4-2 to the OVER.
• Travis Kelce led Chiefs receivers with 9 targets and 9 receptions for 124 yards, while Mahomes finished 30-40 for 306 yards through the air, a TD and an INT.
• KC opens as a 5.5-point favorite at home against the Chargers, while the Broncos will host the Packers as 1-point underdogs in Week 7.

Titans / Ravens

• Baltimore bounced back in London in Week 6 after a puzzling loss on the road against the Steelers in Week 5 – they outgained Tennessee by a margin of 360-233, won the TOP battle 35:42 – 24:18 and held the Titans to just 3 points and 91 total yards on 19 snaps in the first half.
• Ryan Tannehill left the game after the 3rd quarter with what looks to be a high ankle sprain – he was just 8-16 for 76 yards and 1 INT before he left the game. Baltimore’s top-5 pass rush racked up another 6 sacks against a poor TEN OL and was generally strong all day. Derrick Henry broke off two runs for a total of 78 yards in the second half to spark Tennessee’s offense late. Tennessee finished just 1-9 on 3rd down, lost two turnovers and finished just 1-4 on RZ trips.
• Lamar finished 21-30 through the air for 223 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT with another 13 carries on the ground for 62 yards. Baltimore finished just 1-6 on RZ trips of their own – they could have closed this game out much earlier had they been more aggressive inside Tennessee’s red zone all morning.
• Baltimore and Tennessee both dropped to 5-1 apiece to the UNDER.
• The Ravens will host the Lions in one of the best matchups of Week 7 as 3-point favorites, while the Titans are on their bye.

Falcons / Commanders

• Atlanta outgained the Commanders by a margin of 402-193 in this one but lost the game, thanks to another poor performance from Desmond Ridder, who finished with 3 INT’s, including a dagger at Washington’s 34-yard line with 31 seconds left in regulation down 24-16. Ridder’s 3 INT’s came in the second half, all of which were in Washington territory.
• Sam Howell took another 5 sacks in this game behind an OL that ranks 32nd in the league in sacks allowed per game and QB hits allowed per game heading into Week 7. Howell finished just 14-23 for 151 yards, but threw for 3 TD’s and led the Commanders to 2 TD’s on 3 RZ trips. Washington finished just 2-10 on 3rd down, while Howell finished with just 4.3 YPA against an Atlanta secondary that’s been excellent against the pass in 2023, ranking 3rd in passing YPG allowed and 7th in YPA through 6 weeks.
• Drake London caught 9 balls for 125 yards on 12 targets, while Ridder threw for 307 yards on 28-47 passing. Atlanta’s offense had success in this game but were victim to costly 2nd half turnovers. Tyler Allgeier and Bijon Robinson got 13 touches a piece on the ground and combined for 88 yards – Robinson caught another 5 balls for 43 yards on 8 targets and continues to be a dynamic playmaker in this offensive scheme.
• Atlanta is now 1-5 to the OVER and 1-5 ATS – Ridder’s play at QB continues to hold this team back from realizing its potential as a Wild Card contender in the NFC.
• The Falcons head on the road down to Tampa as a 2.5-point underdog, while the Commanders are 2-point favorites on the road against the Giants.

Bears / Vikings

• Minnesota struggled on the offensive side of the ball in their first game without Justin Jefferson, who went on IR last week. The Vikings took a 12-6 lead into halftime but managed 4 punts, a missed FG and a turnover on downs in the second half, amassing just 36 yards of total offense on 24 plays after halftime. Kirk Cousins finished just 21-31 for 181 yards and 1 TD, leading the Vikings to a terrible 2-13 conversion rate on 3rd down and just 1 trip to the RZ.
• Justin Fields was sacked four times and left the game early in the 3rd quarter with an injury to his right hand following a Danielle Hunter sack on Chicago’s first possession of the second half. Tyson Bagent entered the game and was strip-sacked shortly thereafter – Minnesota returned the fumble for a TD to take a 19-6 lead.
• Chicago won the TOP battle 35:11-24:49 but shot themselves in the foot with 3 total turnovers. They head into Week 7 1-5 ATS and 6-1 to the OVER.
• TJ Hockenson led Vikings receivers in targets, catching 6 balls for 50 yards on 8 targets. KJ Osborn and Jordan Addison garnered 5 targets a piece in their first action without Jefferson.
• The Vikings are 6.5-point underdogs at home against the 49ers in Week 7, while the Bears will host the Raiders as 3-point underdogs against the Raiders.

Bengals / Seahawks

• Cincy’s defense played a bend but don’t break type game in this matchup, allowing Seattle to amass 381 yards of total offense but forcing 2 INT’s and two turnovers on downs in the second half to hold off the Seahawks for a 17-13 win. Geno Smith finished 27-41 for 323 yards, but threw 2 costly INT’s in the second half and led the Seahawks to just 1-5 TD conversion rate in the red zone.
• Cincy’s run defense has been one of their biggest weaknesses to date this season, but they kept Seattle in check, holding the Seahawks to just 87 yards on 25 rushes for 3.5 YPC.
• Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase had an excellent matchup with a suspect Seattle secondary that entered Week 6 ranking 31st in passing YPG allowed, but Burrow finished just 24-35 for 185 yards, 2 TD’s and 1 INT. The Bengals finished 3-11 on 3rd down and failed to take a commanding lead in the second half, posting just 63 yards of total offense on 25 snaps in the 2nd half with 4 punts, an INT and a field goal.
• Cincy finished with just 214 yards of total offense and 46 yards rushing but found a way to win the game via a gutsy performance from their defense – they improve to 3-3 after an extremely turbulent September as Burrow battled back from a calf injury.
• Seattle should have an opportunity to take advantage of an extremely suspect Cardinals secondary that has been shredded time and again this season, ranking 27th in passing YPG allowed and 31st in passes of 10+ yards allowed.
• The Bengals head into the bye, while the Seahawks are 8-point favorites at home against the Cardinals in Week 7.

Browns / 49ers

• Cleveland pulled off a gutsy 19-17 win at home against the undefeated 49ers, propelled by an elite defense that held SF to just 215 yards of total offense and 3-12 on 3rd down. Brock Purdy followed up one of the best performances of his career against Dallas with one of his worst, finishing 12-27 for 125 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT as the 49ers dealt with injuries to Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey over the course of this game.
• The Browns overcame two PJ Walker INT’s, one of which that came early in the 4th quarter at their own 22-yard line that SF converted into a TD on the next play to take a 17-13 lead. PJ Walker led the Browns to FG’s on the next two drives to take a 19-17 lead and ultimately escaped with a win after SF missed a 42-yard FG on the game’s final drive.
• With Deebo ruled out and Christian McCaffrey sidelined for much of the second half, the Browns defense held SF’s offense to just 47 yards in total in the second half, 52 of which came on their final drive.
• Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt combined for 131 yards on the ground on 29 carries against an SF defense that ranks 6th in rushing YPG allowed (80.7 YPG) and 5th in runs of 10+ yards.  
• The Browns head to Indy as 2-point favorites in Week 7 against the Colts, while the 49ers are 6.5-point road favorites at Minnesota.

Dolphins / Panthers

• Miami battled back from an early 14-0 deficient on their way to a 42-21 rout, propelled by their high-powered offense that posted 424 yards in total and 162 yards on the ground. Tua finished 21-31 for 262 yards and 3 TD’s, while Raheem Mostert handled a significant majority of the Dolphins’ work on the ground, rushing for 115 yards and 2 TD’s on 17 carries against a bottom-5 Carolina run defense that’s been torched all season. Tyreek Hill caught 6 balls for 163 yards and 1 TD on 10 targets.
• The Dolphins went 3-and-out on their first two drives, but got their offense going in the second quarter, scoring TD’s on 5 of their next 6 drives to take a 35-14 lead early in the 4th quarter. Miami finished 5-5 on RZ trips as they cruised to a 21-point victory and improved to 5-1.
• Bryce Young was sacked 4 times and finished with just 217 yards and 1 TD on 23-38 passing for 4.4 YPA. Adam Thielen caught 11 balls for 115 yards and 1 TD on 13 targets – no other Carolina WR amassed more than 26 yards through the air.  Carolina posted just 88 yards of total offense in the second half and scored their only points in a pick-6 of Mike White late in the 4th quarter.
• The Dolphins high-powered passing attack heads to Philly for an SNF showdown as 1.5-point underdogs against a banged-up Eagles secondary that ranks 20th in passing YPG allowed and 30th in passes of 10+ yards allowed. The Panthers head into the bye at 0-6 – they are 0-5-1 ATS in 2023.

Jaguars / Colts

• Gardner Minshew threw 3 INT’s and lost a fumble in his first action as the Colts starter for what looks like the remainder of the 2023 season as it sounds like Anthony Richardson is strongly considering shoulder surgery that would end his rookie season. The Jags scored 14 points of Colts’ TO’s in the first half to take a 21-6 lead into halftime and cruised to a 37-20 win at home – their defense leads the league in turnovers forced per game through the first 6 weeks of the season.
• Jacksonville improved to 4-2 and took sole control of first place in the NFC South despite being outgained by Indy 354-233. Trevor Lawrence threw for just 181 yards, 2 TD’s and 1 INT on 20-30 passing and left the game late in the 4th quarter with a knee injury that could keep him out of TNF.
• Indy’s young secondary that ranks 25th in passing YPG and 27th in passes of 10+ yards held Calvin Ridley and Jacksonville’s passing game in check in Week 6 after Ridley caught 8 balls for 101 yards and a TD in Week 1.
• Gardner Minshew ended up throwing for 329 yards, 1 TD and 3 INT’s on 33-55 passing – his TO’s in the first half put the Colts in a hole they couldn’t climb out of. Indy ran for just 44 yards in total on the ground, Zach Moss took 7 carries for 21 yards and a TD while Jonathan Taylor ran 8 times for 19 yards.
• The Colts drop to 3-3 and will likely be with Gardner Minshew the rest of the way – they are 2-point underdogs against the Browns’ elite defense in Week 7 in a game that opened with a total of 39 in Indy on Sunday. The Jags have a short week as they head to New Orleans as 3-point underdogs on TNF with Lawrence’s availability in question as of Tuesday.

Texans / Saints

• The Houston Texans are once again a competitive football team under the tutelage of DeMeco Ryans and with CJ Stroud at the helm on offense – they beat the Saints by a score at home despite being outgained by a margin of 430-297, thanks to a turnover on downs and Derek Carr INT late in the 4th quarter that sealed the win for the Texans.
• CJ Stroud passed for just 199 yards, 2 TD’s and 1 INT on 13-27 passing, but he made less mistakes than New Orleans and gave his defense an opportunity to hold off New Orleans in the second half after taking the Saints into halftime with a 17-10 lead.
• Derek Carr finished 32-50 for 353 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT, but failed executions on the final two drives of the came that resulted in a turnover on downs and an INT sank the Saints. Alvin Kamara racked up 104 yards from scrimmage with 19 carries for 68 yards on the ground and 7 catches for 36 yards on 8 targets through the air, while Chris Olave led NO WR’s with 10 targets, catching 9 balls for 96 yards.
• New Orleans finished 0-3 on RZ trips and heads into Week 7 ranking 27th in RZ TD %. Their inability to convert drives into TD’s on the season, combined with their excellent defensive unit, both contribute to their 6-0 record to the UNDER in 2023.
• The Saints are 3-point favorites at home on TNF against the Jags, while the Texans head into the bye at 3-3 and in 2nd place in the AFC South.

Jets / Eagles

• The Jets pulled off a surprising win at home as 6.5-point underdogs by forcing 4 turnovers, including 3 Jalen Hurts INT’s. Though Philly was banged up in the secondary and missing Jalen Carter on the DL, they held the Jets to just 244 yards of offense, 2-11 on 3rd down and 1-4 in the red zone, logging 5 sacks and holding Zach Wilson to just 186 yards on 19-33 passing.
• Philly outgained the Jets by a margin of 348-244, but it’s difficult to win in the NFL when you lose the turnover battle 4-0. The Eagles rank 2nd in the league in rushing YPG and had an excellent matchup against a Jets’ defense that entered this matchup ranking 29th in rushing YPG allowed, 25th in YPC and 28th in runs of 10+ yards, but rushed for just 80 yards on 22 carries, 47 of which were attributable Jalen Hurts scrambles.
• The Jets posted just 76 yards of total offense in the 2nd half, but benefitted from a Jalen Hurts INT at the 1:50 mark in the 4th quarter that they returned to the Eagles’ 8-yard line.
• Philly lost RT Lane Johnson to an ankle injury in the first quarter – Johnson looks to have a chance to play against the Dolphins and is an extremely critical component of the Eagles’ offensive scheme protecting the right edge.
• Philly returns home to kick off an extremely difficult portion of their schedule as 1.5-point favorites against Miami’s high-powered passing attack, while the Jets head into the bye at 3-3.

Raiders / Patriots

• Mac Jones was not benched this week, but he led an extremely uninspiring effort from the Patriots’ offense once again on the road in Vegas, where the Patriots were outgained by the Raiders 348-259. Jones was sacked 4 times, finished with just 200 yards and 1 INT on 24-33 passing and led the Pats to two three-and-outs to start the game, a field goal, an INT and just 93 yards of offense on 24 plays in the first half.
• Mac Jones was sacked in the end zone down 19-17 with under 2 minutes to go in the game, the play that effectively sealed the win for the Raiders. New England is 5-1 to the UNDER due to Belichick’s prowess on the defensive side of the ball and the absence of any explosiveness on offense. New England is also 1-5 ATS thanks to their lack of explosiveness on offense.
• Jimmy G left the game at halftime with a back injury with 162 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT on 14-22 passing. Brian Hoyer managed to lead the Raiders to two field goals to stave off New England in the second half and give them enough offense to win the game. That said, the Raiders finished 1-6 on RZ trips, an issue that has plagued them all season – they rank just 25th in RZ TD % through 6 weeks. Vegas is 5-1 to the UNDER in part to an offense that lacks balance and an semblance of a running game and a much improved secondary that ranks 7th in the league in passing YPG and 2nd in passes of 10+ allowed.
• A year after winning the rushing title, Josh Jacobs continues to have a horrible 2023 – he finished with 77 yards on 25 carries but is the lead back in a rushing offense that ranks 31st in rushing YPG, 30th in YPC and 32nd in runs of 10+ yards.
• Jimmy G apparently ‘dodged a big bullet’ with regard to his back injury – his status going forward is uncertain at this point. The Raiders are 3-point favorites on the road at Chicago, while the Patriots are 8.5-point underdogs at home against the Bill.

Rams / Cardinals

• The Cardinals were playing competitive games to start the season against the Commanders, Cowboys and Giants, but they’ve regressed somewhat significantly over the L2 weeks against the Bengals and the Rams. Arizona is now 0-3 ATS in their last three games, with losses by 21, 14 and 17.
• LA posted 382 total yards of offense and notably 179 yards on the ground, thanks to a huge day from Kyren Williams, who ran 20 times for 158 yards and 1 TD.
• Arizona posted 345 yards of their own on offense, but struggled to keep pace with the Rams after entering halftime with a 9-6 lead. The Rams posted points on their first four drives of the second half with two TD’s and two FG’s, while the Cardinals sustained just 102 yards of non-garbage time offense with a punt, INT, fumble and turnover on downs on four drives. Arizona managed three total trips to the red zone but converted 0 drives into TD’s against a Rams’ defense that ranks 9th in RZ TD %.
• Matt Stafford threw for just 226 yards through the air on 15-24 passing, 148 yards of which went to Cooper Kupp, who caught 7 balls and 1 TD on 9 targets. Puka Nacua caught just 4 balls for 26 yards but was targeted 7 times – for the second week in a row Nacua and Kupp commanded two thirds of Stafford’s targets.
• Kyren Williams sustained an ankle injury late in this one – the Rams look like they’ll be down both Williams and Ronnie Rivers for their matchup with Pittsburgh, meaning rookie 6th-rounder Zach Evans will get the start vs Pittsburgh.
• The Rams are 3-point favorites against the Steelers at home, while the Cardinals are 8-point underdogs on the road against the Seahawks.

Buccaneers / Lions

• The Lions continue to assert themselves as a team worth of discussion as one of the NFC’s top teams alongside the Eagles and 49ers as they somewhat methodically picked apart the Bucs on the road, outgaining the Bucs 380-251, played mistake free football, manufactured long scoring drives and clamped down on TB’s offense in the 2nd half.
• The Lions’ offense continues to grade extremely well on the offensive side of the ball, as they rank 4th in offensive efficiency, 4th in YPP, 8th in 3rd down conversion rate, 3rd in passing YPA, 5th in sacks allowed and 5th in turnovers forced per game. What’s most encouraging about the Lions’ long-term however is the way their defense is performing – they rank 3rd in EPA/play, 4th in YPP allowed, 5th in 3rd down conversion rate, 6th in passing YPA, 1st in rushing YPG allowed and 2nd in YPC.
• Detroit’s defense forced TB to punt the ball on 6 of 10 possessions with two field goals, an INT and a turnover on downs the other results. TB did not enter Detroit territory until the 10-minute mark of the 2nd quarter.
• TB’s defense bottled up Detroit’s running game as the Lions rushed for just 40 yards on 22 carries, but Jared Goff picked up the slack, passing for 353 yards and 2 TD’s on 30-44 passing. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 12 balls for 124 yards and 1 TD on 15 targets. Jameson Williams caught 2 balls for 53 yards and 1 TD – his presence adds another layer of explosiveness to an already efficient offense moving forward.
• The Bucs are 2.5-point favorites at home vs the Falcons, while the Lions head to Baltimore as 3-point underdogs against the talented and balanced but frustratingly inconsistent Ravens.

Bills / Giants

• The Bills almost embarrassed themselves on a national stage against a Giants’ team that has already embarrassed itself several times on a national stage in 2023. Against a Giants’ defense that ranks 30th in defensive efficiency and EPA/play, 31st in YPP allowed, 26th in 3rd down conversion rate, 31st in rushing YPG and runs of 10+ yards, 23rd in RZ TD % and 32nd in sacks, the Bills posted 3 punts, a fumble, INT and a missed FG in the first half.
• Tyrod Taylor left points on the field after he checked into a run play at the goal line with under 10 seconds left in the first half that resulted in zero points and a lashing from Brian Daboll on the sideline. The Giants also had two opportunities to win the game late in regulation but could not complete two consecutive passes to Darren Waller over the middle as time expired.
• The Bills did rush for 128 yards on the ground on 29 carries (4.4 YPC), taking advantage of a weak Giants’ run defense, but managed just two trips to the RZ in the second half, both of which they converted into their only points of the game.
• The Giants’ managed their first cover of the season without half their starting offensive line and Daniel Jones, a credit to Tyrod Taylor, who moved the ball well against a strong Buffalo defense but could not post a TD.
• Buffalo will look to shake off a dud in Week 7 as 8.5-point favorites on the road in New England. The Giants are 2-point underdogs at home against the Commanders.

Chargers / Cowboys

• The Chargers played another close game at home against Dallas, and Justin Herbert through an INT on their final drive at their own 25-yard line to seal a 20-17 loss.
• Dallas bounced back from an awful loss on SNF against the 49ers to improve to 4-2, thanks to a great game from Dak Prescott, who finished 21-30 for 272 yards and a TD against a Chargers’ secondary that’s been awful against the pass in 2023, ranking 32nd in passing YPG, 31st in YPA and 24th passes of 10+ yards. CeeDee Lamb caught 7 balls for 117 yards on 7 targets, while Tony Pollard was active in the passing game, catching 6 balls for 80 yards on 7 targets.
• Justin Herbert was not particularly sharp in this one, finishing just 22-37 for 227 yards, 2 TD’s and an INT late that sealed the win for the Cowboys. The Chargers managed just 53 total rushing yards on 23 carries (2.3 YPC) against a Dallas defense that doesn’t defend the run particularly well.
• The Chargers head on the road to KC as 5.5-point underdogs, while the Cowboys head into the bye at 4-2.

Made it here? Head over to our game and player matchup dashboards to dissect every matchup and identify the biggest mismatches to attack the betting markets or optimize your DFS and fantasy football lineups in Week 7.